The Return of Lord Magnus
by Falara Hughes
Summary: After sitting on it for so long, I've finally finished Chapter 2. Magnus seeks freedom from his inprisonment, at the cost of his son's life. But wait, there's more.... Continued from my previous one: Questing For the Brotherhood. Reviews welcome.
1. Chapter 1

**The Threat Remains**

The world enjoyed much peace once Lord Magnus' hordes had been defeated but few knew who to thank. The Scarlet Witch and her friends thought it best to remain heroes in obscurity and went about their separate ways, but before they parted they formed a bond meant to last to the end of their days. At a parting feast on La Gambit, they drunk from the same cup and swore always to seek each other when they were most needed. That night they became the Brotherhood: a fellowship devoted to remaining acquaintances no matter what the circumstances. Even as La Gambit reached the shores of Unista and members of the newly-formed Brotherhood went their separate ways, they would never forget what brought them together and reasons why their team would remain.

Toad and the remaining Hopperas of his tribe went back to the jungle to rebuild their home, and Princess Felicity went with them. There was nothing left of her people in Laskan, so she had no reason to return there. Sky Fire stayed with Captain Remington and his crew, and although she took on the role as the cook, Clarice kept her former cabin girl duties. Sir Lancelot took the Scarlet Witch west with him to see his homeland, and Quicksilver went along for lack of anything better to do.

  


Adjusting to his new way of life was not easy for Quicksilver. Sir Lancelot lived in the Eternal Garden where Mother Earth grew creations big and small, and such a vast garden required constant care. Lancelot was used to the work and Scarlet adjusted easily enough, but Quicksilver found it distasteful to waste his talents sowing and reaping vegetables. Even the miracle of watching children sprout from a cabbage patch didn't encourage him to see the good he was doing, and he quickly became restless. During times when he was supposed to be working the fields, he disappeared to practice an iron-working hobby he had picked up after his father's defeat. Making doll-sized, metallic sculptures soothed a pain in his heart that he had felt since Lord Magnus was imprisoned. He kept his workshop well hidden from the others in the mountains near the garden, and it wasn't long before he spent more of his time there than he did with his sister and her love.

Along with the pain in his heart, Quicksilver began experiencing dreams that left him feeling sorrowful. Each night he would see memories of the time alone he spent with his father, back when he was a child. Lord Magnus used to take him on trips to the battlefields back when the Army of Magnus needed days to vanquish a kingdom. He also used to consult his son on some of his creations; the addition of the endless chains and Gorgon Breath to Mekan Ikull's inner workings were both Quicksilver's young ideas. As time passed, a strange bitterness overcame Magnus and he grew more and more distant to his last, loyal offspring. Quicksilver saw all of this progression in his dreams, then one night he had a vision that had never come to him before.

Darkness surrounded him, but Quicksilver could feel the ground beneath his feet. In the distance, a voice called out to him that sent chills up his spine. "My son..."

"Father?" Desperately he moved forward, but no matter how fast he ran, the man could not reach the source of his father's call. "Father, where are you? Hold still and I'll come get you!"

"My son," the voice called again, this time from another direction. Quicksilver turned and started towards it, but the darkness wouldn't yield for him.

"Please, father, tell me where you are," he cried out, then the voice spoke again, loud enough for its source to be considered nearby.

"I am here," it stated, and the man looked down at the amulet he wore. Its runic designs took on the shape of Lord Magnus' unmasked face, then the image smiled sincerely as Quicksilver lifted it to his eye level.

"Father..." Tears of sorrow streamed from Quicksilver's eyes. "Why does it have to be this way?"

"It doesn't," Lord Magnus replied. "You have reached through your yearning and sought access to me. Do you truly wish my freedom?"

"Yes, but--" Quicksilver shook his head and looked away from the image, afraid to say what was on his mind.

"But, what?" His father's voice remained calm and reassuring; he wanted to know what was keeping his son weak.

"We can't go back to our former lifestyle, father! We can't make attempts to destroy the world!" Quicksilver looked back at the amulet, seeing Lord Magnus even through his tears. "I want us to be a family again, but not at the world's expense."

A transparent image of the lord took form behind Quicksilver and brought one of its hands to rest on his left shoulder. "My son," Magnus said in a gentle tone, "why put a world between us? Why distance yourself from the only family who sees that you have value?"

"Because--" Quicksilver choked and wiped the tears from his face. "It's not right. What we did, wasn't right..."

"And they have told you that, haven't they?" Magnus sighed sadly and his image began to fade. When his son realized this, he clutched the amulet tightly and pleaded with it.

"No, father! Don't leave me again!"

"I have never left you, my son." Lord Magnus' image dissipated and the face on the amulet turned back into runic markings. "When you are ready, I will be here for you to receive once again."

  


Just as Quicksilver had his dream, the Scarlet Witch had a nightmare that stirred her from her rest. As she swung her legs over to sit on the edge of her bed, her ears picked up on the sound of sobbing down the hall and she went to see who it was. Her curiosity heightened when she realized the sound originated from her brother's room. When she saw the condition he was in, Scarlet rushed to see about him. With his face in his hands, Quicksilver sat on the edge of his bed and cried over the dream he had just experienced. His sister didn't know what had upset him but she was going to provide him comfort; unfortunately, he didn't want the comfort to come from her. As soon as she placed an arm on his shoulders to hug him, Quicksilver shoved her aside and turned so his back was to her and the room's entrance.

Confused, Scarlet stayed where she had been shoved and clutched the top of her cotton robe. "Quicksilver? What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong," her brother replied with an embittered tone.

"You were crying. I heard you all the way in my room."

"Is it wrong for a man to cry?" Quicksilver focused a glare on his sister, then curled up in bed and threw his covers over himself. "I'm _fine_, Scarlet. Go back to your new family. Enjoy the _love_ they give you."

There was a time when the Scarlet Witch would have thrown biting words back at her brother for such a comment; that time was long gone. Scarlet knew that Quicksilver was having trouble adjusting to life and not just because of menial tasks. A reality he had settled into for more than twenty years was shattered the day they had to face Lord Magnus in combat and it would take time for him to accept the way things really were. Sighing, Scarlet made her way for the room's exit, then as she put her hand on the doorknob, she turned and spoke to him. "We're still a family, Quicksilver. We always will be. You don't have to like the others, but please don't close yourself to me." After waiting for a response and receiving none, she left the room and closed the door behind her.

  


Days passed, and the emotional distance between Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch grew by inches. Then, the witch received a message that she hoped would lift both their spirits. The Order of the Sacred Letter learned about their involvement in Lord Magnus' defeat and wanted to throw a banquet in their honor. The message stated that other members of the Brotherhood would also receive invitations, and gave a date and address for when and where the banquet would be held. It came as great surprise that the Order of the Sacred Letter resided just north of Bavil, but Scarlet enjoyed the idea of visiting the town where she began her great victory. The news hardly stirred Quicksilver and although he was grateful for the chance to see civilization again, his lasting depression kept him from expressing this in a way his sister would have liked to see.

  


The Order of the Sacred Letter was a high class guild that made a practice of taking in middle or low class individuals and making heroes out of them. Not just any individual could join; all its members were known to have some magic talent or physical skill that made them rare in their homelands. Professor Charles Xavier, the founder of the order, sought each of them out and made an offer for a change in lifestyle that all its members came to accept. The guild started out doing charitable crusades but as time passed and its membership increased, a cloud of bitterness settled over it. Members grew tired of saving lives for little gratitude and soon the Order of the Sacred Letter shut its doors to pleas that weren't accompanied by tribute. On top of that, members of the order began to think themselves higher than anyone else, especially those without special or useful powers. This act saddened the order's founder, but he patiently bided his time, knowing that some day something would happen to humble the hearts of his charges once more.

On the day of the banquet, the Brotherhood met at the Seraph Inn of Bavil and traveled together to the institute where the Order of the Sacred Letter took up residency. Members of the order were waiting for them in the foyer of their mansion which had been given a ballroom setting for the occasion. A small orchestra played soothing music from a corner of the foyer while servers walked around with trays of hors d'oeuvres and wine. Groups of Sacred Letter members stood around, exchanging skeptical banter about the would-be heroes who they felt had done their job. If it weren't for the Professor's strong encouragement of this banquet, they wouldn't have even bothered to look the Brotherhood's way after hearing about them.

"I can't believe we're doing this," one woman commented indignantly. "Inviting them into our home? Letting them eat our food? And now, offering a place in our ranks?"

"The Professor thinks it's a good idea, so we have to be for it as well," a man replied. "Besides. It'll make us look even better if we let them join us. Then the credit for the world's freedom will belong to the Order of the Sacred Letter."

As the party continued, a doorman called for silence from the orchestra and brought everyone's attention to the mansion's entrance. "Ladies and gentleman, our guests have arrived," he announced, then stood aside so the door could be opened. "Allow me to introduce: the Scarlet Witch and Sir Lancelot Alvers..."

A smile grew on the faces of many women as they watched the knight enter in a suit of lighter, more casual armor, then they frowned as the witch came in on his arm wearing her usual outfit of pants, boots and maroon vest. "How uncultured," some whispered; thankfully, their words went unheard.

"...the Count, Quicksilver..."

Once again the women smiled as the man entered wearing grey leggings and a turquoise robe with gold trim and a high collar. His black boots were polished to perfection and he took a moment to check his reflection in them before continuing into the foyer.

"...Princess Felicity and.. Toad..."

The Princess sauntered in dragging Toad by his vest and neither one was dressed appropriately for the occasion. Wearing only a satin loincloth and brasier left Felicity highly exposed to silent scrutiny from the audience, and the Hoppera's dusty cargo pants and muddy boots left undesired tracks as he wandered in.

"...Sky Fire and Captain Remington LeBeau..."

The dragonrider also saw fit to wear only a loincloth and her usual vest, and although several of the cultured women in the order visibly disapproved, Sky Fire came in with pride holding tight to the arm of the Captain. Remington looked dashing as ever in his full coat and Captain's hat, but his being a pirate preceded him, and the men of the order let him know that with disdainful looks.

"...and finally, Clarice, Colossus, Atrophy and.. the Blob."

The four members of Remington's crew sparked an array of loud whispers from the audience, for they all looked just as ragged as they did on a normal day at sea. The cabin girl had tried to make herself look slightly decent, but with few articles of ladies' clothing on La Gambit, the closest she could come made her look like a boyish serf. Colossus put on more than his normal pair of pants, but the shirt he wore was sleeveless and bulged too easily in revealing his chiseled frame. Blob and Atrophy didn't bother to change, knowing that nothing they did could make them look appealing to other people.

An unwelcome feeling wafted over the Brotherhood as they stood together and watched the Order of the Sacred Letter judge them in various ways. It was a tense period that made Scarlet start to regret agreeing to the event, but then a feeling of calm washed over everyone as an aged, masculine voice echoed in their minds.

"Welcome, all of you." From the center of the foyer to the archway of a hall, the crowd parted to reveal a man in a wooden wheelchair. A grey blanket covered his legs neatly and on his torso he wore a dark brown suit jacket with a white shirt and black cummerbund. Behind his chair, there stood a dark-skinned woman with stark white hair that flowed well beyond her shoulders. The woman pushed the chair forward and guided it to the Brotherhood, then the man seated in it offered a hand in greeting to his guests. "It is good to finally get a chance to meet you. I am Professor Charles Xavier, founder of this institute."

Sir Lancelot was the first to accept the hand, doing so with a smile of sincerity. "Your invitation came as a surprise, Professor, but a well-received one. Tell me, how did you learn of our existence and deed?" He felt a nudge from Scarlet, sighed, then restated his sentence. "How'd you know who we are and what we did?"

"I have my ways," Xavier stated, though his lips didn't move. After motioning to his hairless head, he spoke aloud. "Reading minds is what I do. After I sensed the absence of Lord Magnus' presence in our dimension, I searched for a reason, and came upon memories of your deed in your collective minds."

"Captain Billiard can read thoughts," Toad blurted out, spawning some disgusted looks from members of the order. "Hey! Hey! What am I thinkin' right now, eh?"

The Professor smirked in quiet amusement. "Things that shouldn't be said in public," he replied, sparking cackles from the amphibious boy.

"Yeah, that's me, all right," Toad said as he exchanged high-fives with Atrophy.

"So you read our minds," Quicksilver said in a haughty tone. "Good for you. Now what do you want?"

Scarlet shook her head at her brother's attitude. "Don't be rude, Quicksilver. We're their guests."

"It's quite all right," Xavier stated. "I understand your apprehension in this situation; after all, receiving invitations from a previously unheard-of source is a rare and unsettling occurrence for most." He settled his hands in his lap and looked the Brotherhood over. "You did the world a service by relieving it of Lord Magnus' presence. Had we the opportunity, the Order of the Sacred Letter would have tried to do the same."

"Doubtful," Quicksilver said with a chuff. "_Your_ name wasn't 'written in the stars' as Lord Magnus' conquerors."

The Professor quietly focused his attention on Quicksilver for a few moments. "Ah yes, Quicksilver. You were Lord Magnus' son, correct?"

"I _am_ Lord Magnus' son," the man stated, focusing a bitter expression on Xavier. "And Scarlet _is_ his daughter. Even if she hates to admit it."

"Indeed. Well, it is a very intriguing prospect that his own offspring would--"

"Save it," Quicksilver snapped. "I didn't accept your stupid invitation just to hear some half-assed eulogy about my father. You people are supposed to be having some banquet for the so-called heroes who got rid of him? Well then, by all means. Have your banquet; I'll be waiting outside for you guys when it's done." Nothing more could be said to him as he left the mansion in the blink of an eye.

A moment of uneasy silence settled over the foyer after Quicksilver left. Then, Professor Xavier mentally signaled for the orchestra to play something cheerful, and he spoke to everyone present. "Please. Enjoy yourselves. Mingle amongst my people. When dinner is ready, we will all convene in the dining hall."

The Professor's assistant turned his chair to guide him away but before they left, Scarlet stepped up to speak to him. "I'm sorry about Quicksilver, Professor. He's--"

"There's no need to apologize, Scarlet," Xavier replied. "Learning one's father is the root of all misery, then having to have a hand in his defeat is not something I wager anyone would want to go through. At least not anyone who had a relationship with their father as I suspect your brother has."

Scarlet sighed as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Yeah. One I didn't have."

"Which is a good thing, because if you had, think of how difficult your fulfilling the prophecy would have been." The Professor smiled. "Now. Relax, and enjoy yourself. This night is for you and your friends." He motioned to the rest of the foyer, where the Brotherhood had scattered themselves amongst members of the Sacred Letter. "They have already begun to mingle, perhaps it is time you did the same." Nodding his head signaled for his assistant to continue pushing him away. "I must see to dinner."

  


For most of the Brotherhood, mingling with the Order of the Sacred Letter was like trekking through a field of briars. The conversing groups stayed tightly knit and when one of the indecent members of the Brotherhood tried to join in, they were quickly given the cold shoulder. Captain Remington found little trouble working his way into conversations with the women but whenever he became too comfortable, Sky Fire would happily usher him to another section of the room. Eventually, all of the Brotherhood ended up in a corner of the foyer, talking amongst themselves instead of their "gracious" hosts.

"What kinda sewing circle is this that we can't get a word in edge-wise, huh," Toad said as he glared at the gathering. "This is supposed to be _our_ party, but these high brows won't let us enjoy it!"

"Buncha fancy-dressin' no-goods with sticks up their asses if you ask me," Sky Fire added.

"More like the whole tree. What is their problem, anyway? They're the ones who invited us!"

"Maybe we're not what they expected," Clarice suggested. "I guess if we tried to look better..."

"It shouldn't matter what we look like," Scarlet stated quickly. "We did a good deed; they claim to be honoring us for it. But instead of honoring us, they're treating us like outcasts."

"Per'aps we should have gone de way of Quicksilver, neh," Remington suggested.

"Maybe..." The Scarlet Witch straightened her posture as she noticed a group of people coming their way. "Oh look. They're making an attempt to approach the rare specimens."

A man wearing round-lense, ruby-colored spectacles stepped towards the Brotherhood with a woman on his arm whose hair was fiery in color. With them came a young lady whose brown hair bounced with life in every move she made, and a young man whose blonde hair was a complete contrast to his brown skin. "Forgive us for not speaking to you earlier," the first man said, "but we were tending to other matters."

"We know the others like to make our order seem exclusive," the woman on his arm stated, "but that just makes it up to us to extend the hand of friendship. So, allow me to introduce us. I am Jean Grey. You may call me Lady Grey; all my friends do." She chuckled as she held out her hand, expecting it to be accepted. When none of the Brotherhood made a reach for it, Lady Grey cleared her throat and continued her introductions. "This is Scott Summers, often referred to as Cyclops."

"Why, he got one eye behind those glasses," Toad asked with a hint of amusement.

"No," Summers replied, "but many have thought that when I use my special ability."

"Whoop-de-damn-do." Toad twirled one of his fingers in the air, then tugged on Atrophy. "I'm starvin'. Come on, let's go get some whore's endeavors!" The two broke away from the group and chased down one of the tray-bearing servants.

Scott watched them leave with a puzzled expression. "Whore's endeavors?"

"Hors d'oeuvres," Scarlet noted, then motioned to Jean Grey. "Please. Continue with your introduction."

"Very well," the woman replied, then stood aside so the young lady could be seen. "This is Kitty Pryde, who we often call Shadowcat."

"It is, like, such a total pleasure to meet you," Kitty said in a cheerful giggle, causing some members of the Brotherhood to visibly shudder.

"And finally," Jean continued, "this is Evan Daniels, also known as Spyke."

"What's up," Evan said as he stepped forward. "So you're the guys who thrashed Lord Magnus? That is so awesome!"

The Brotherhood exchanged glances with one-another. "Okay, they got people in here who talk like that, and _we're_ gettin' ostracized," Sky Fire asked rhetorically, then turned towards the entrance. "That's it, I'm outta here. Come on, Remy. We can go someplace else to be insulted."

"Saint John won' be as disappointed for havin' t'attend a guild meetin' and miss dis," the Captain commented as he turned to follow her. "Let's move out, crew!"

Gradually, all of the Brotherhood turned and started for the mansion's entrance. "Wait, was it something I said," Evan Daniels wondered aloud, then everything stopped as Professor Xavier's voice filled everyone's head once again.

"Dinner is ready. Please, everyone assemble in the dining hall."

The orchestra stopped playing and gathered their things so they could continue their performance in the dining hall. Members of the Sacred Letter dispersed, and the Brotherhood stood near the entrance exchanging pensive glances. "Should we even bother," Atrophy asked.

"It is goin' t'be a long ride back to de port," Captain Remington noted. "Maybe we should grab somethin' t'eat beforehand."

Sir Lancelot added, "And they did invite us. We should stay, at least for Professor Xavier's sake. It seems to me that he's the one who most wants us here."

The Scarlet Witch sighed as she turned back to the foyer. "Well, I am hungry," she muttered begrudgingly. "Fine. We'll grab some food, but if they give us anymore of what they've been, we're gone." Her brows furrowed as she looked towards the entrance. "Maybe I should tell Quicksilver that we're going to be a while longer."

Lancelot noticed her concern, then put a hand on her shoulder to guide her away from the doors. "Go. Eat. I'll go let your brother know of our staying." He thought for a moment, then stated, "I'll tell Quicksilver to wait some more." The knight sighed as he left her behind; trying to disregard his noble way of speaking subconsciously made his mouth hurt.

  


The Brotherhood joined the Order of the Sacred Letter in their dining room; meanwhile, Sir Lancelot wandered the institute's front yard in search of Quicksilver. He found the man sitting on the side of a large fountain that faced the mansion's main gates, surrounded by the cobblestone driveway where their carriages had been parked during their arrival. Quicksilver was clutching the dark amulet that held his father and it looked as though he were talking to it; unfortunately, Lancelot was at too much of a distance to hear what was being said.

"Quicksilver, are you faring well," the knight asked as he made the approach. Quicksilver tucked the amulet underneath his robe before turning an unsavory look on him.

"What do you want, Lance?"

"Your sister sent me to tell you that we'd be staying for dinner," Lancelot replied, then stood close to him. "You should join us. I'm sure she'd like that."

Quicksilver chuffed at his words. "Scarlet's that disgusted with me that she couldn't come out here herself?" He shook his head bitterly. "If she liked the idea so much, she could have come out here and told me so. I'm not hungry, and I don't feel like mingling with those false friends. You think I didn't take a peek and see how they were blackballing you and the others? Thanks but no thanks."

"_I_ came because I didn't want your sister to have to stand through one of your tantrums," Lancelot said as his expression soured. "You're pouring an unnecessary guilt trip on her as if she should be sorry that she stopped your father from killing the populace. What you should be doing is showing some gratitude for her lasting love in your favor. If she did not think so highly of you, not only would you not be here, but your worthless father would be no more than an ill wind on an otherwise blissful day." He snorted, then turned back for the mansion doors. "I suggest you start behaving like a real brother and show your sister the support she deserves, unless you'd prefer to wander the earth miserable and alone."

A very stone-cold glare settled on Quicksilver's face as he listened to Sir Lancelot talk, and his right hand clenched tightly into a fist. When the knight turned his back on him, a blue glow developed in Quicksilver's eyes and his teeth clenched in a horrendous sneer. Just as Lancelot finished talking, Quicksilver lifted his right hand and made a jerking motion as if to grab hold of something and pull it his way. The knight almost choked as the back of his armor was pulled on by nothing, then he slid backwards on his heels until he was in front of the silver-haired man once again. Lancelot was in complete shock as he stared into Quicksilver's glowing eyes and was shoved to his knees without being touched.

"How _dare_ you speak to me as though I were some addlepated child," the man stated in a grim tone as he loomed over the knight. "My discontent is none of her _or_ your concern. And, as far as my sister's actions go, in due time she will get all that she deserves from me. If anyone should show some semblance of gratitude it's _you_ for my presence that day. If it weren't for my distraction, time would have been the only thing separating the two of you from death." Suddenly, a scream arose from the mansion and was accompanied by a mechanical wail. Quicksilver recognized that wail and decided to investigate its source; as he turned to head inside, he waved his right hand and Sir Lancelot was lightly pitched into the fountain nearby.

  


A surprise guest visited the banquet hosted by the Order of the Sacred Letter and it didn't receive a warm welcome. An iron dragon the size of a puma managed to sneak in and start sniffing about, then when it was spotted it created quite an uproar in the order members. Startled by their screams, the creature ran about and wrecked the dining hall without really meaning to. Members of the order put on a grand power display in their efforts to stop it: Scott lifted his glasses from his eyes and let a beam of energy fire at it; Jean tried using her mental powers to stop it, but the creature seemed immune; Kitty phased just as the dragon tumbled into her; and Evan shot a series of bone spears to try and trap the dragon, but it pulled enough out of the ground to free itself and even carted one off to chew on while it walked around. Others made efforts, but they were all denied. In seeing what the Order of the Sacred Letter could do, the Brotherhood decided to stand aside and watch rather than try to help wrangle the beast.

"MICRO IKULL!" The booming words came from Quicksilver, who stood in the entryway of the dining hall. His eyes no longer had their bluish glow but his face remained stern as he looked in the direction of his rogue invention. Along with iron dolls, Micro Ikull was something he had put together in his spare time. If not for his speed, it would have taken him years to assemble it and give it life. It became clear to the others that the creature belonged to him when it humbled itself upon hearing its name, then the attacks at the hands of the Sacred Letter ceased.

"Micro, I told you not to follow me," Quicksilver said as he motioned for his pet to approach him. When the dragon came close, he grabbed it by its web-shaped crest and gave its head a shake. "Crazy creature. Now look what you've done." The conversation seemed like a casual exchange between master and pet, but the Order of the Sacred Letter was hardly amused.

"That _thing_ just ruined our banquet," Scott Summers bellowed as he stepped towards Quicksilver.

"I'd say the banquet was ruined long before Micro Ikull got here," the man shot back. "Besides. If you guys hadn't startled him, he wouldn't have rampaged." He rubbed the dragon's ridged snout affectionately. "He's really just a playful little wyrm, aren't you, Micro?"

The Scarlet Witch couldn't believe what she was seeing. Although its size and crest were different, Micro Ikull was the spitting image of the murderous Mekan Ikull--the creature she faced not too long ago. Granted, Micro Ikull moved with a more playful gait, and once things calmed down, it did seem less threatening than its predecessor. Still, its very existence brought an ill feeling in Scarlet. Her stomach tied itself in knots as she watched her brother and Professor Xavier carry a light conversation over Micro Ikull's construction, then she wandered forward and interrupted them. "You made that, Quicksilver?"

Her brother looked at her quietly for a while, then replied, "Yeah? And?"

Scarlet shook her head at him. "But why? How?"

"Because I could?" Quicksilver knelt down beside his invention and began checking its frame for blemishes. "His design I already knew by heart; putting a spirit in him was the real trick. I used one of those noisy cabbage patch kids from the Eternal Garden."

"You did _what_," Scarlet cried out in shock. "Quicksilver, you took a _life_ to create that _thing_?"

"This _thing_, as you so coldly put it, and that life are now one." Her brother stood up and brought his hand to rest on Micro Ikull's head. "Of course, having an infant soul makes Micro Ikull very childish and disobedient, but he'll learn eventually." He clasped his arms behind his back and turned to leave. "Enjoy what's left of your evening, sis. I'll be at the Seraph Inn."

Everyone watched as Quicksilver left with Micro Ikull following close behind, then were surprised by Sir Lancelot's dripping wet entry to the dining hall. After getting over the shock of being overpowered by Quicksilver, the knight managed to drag himself back to the mansion to rejoin whatever was going on inside. He stepped aside quite briskly to avoid running into the silver-haired man, then stumbled into the dining hall and found his way to Scarlet.

"Lance, what happened to you," the witch asked as she looked him over.

The knight took a moment to breathe before speaking. "Scarlet, your brother..."

"My brother did what?"

"Something is happening to him," Lancelot said as he ushered her off to a quiet corner where they could talk. "He... he threw me... But he didn't touch me! When he did that... I..." He fished for words to describe the incident. "When Lord Magnus hefted me into the air... well... he wasn't really holding me. He was holding my armor. That's what it felt like when Quicksilver tossed me just now! The back of my suit felt like a heavy hand had gripped it when he pulled me towards him, then I felt two hands grab me by my breast plate and throw me in the fountain!"

Scarlet listened to what he had to say but found it hard to believe his words. She knew her brother didn't have power over metal like her father did, and what little control he had over the wind could only be used to shove something away from him. "Are you sure it was him? They've got a lot of people here with strange powers..."

"It was him, all right. When I came out there, he was talking to the amulet you trapped your father in." Lancelot sighed as he rung out a clump of his hair. "Scarlet, you may need to remove that amulet from Quicksilver's neck. It's possible that Lord Magnus' power could be bleeding out of it and into him. If so, he could become as corrupted as your father was, and with his speed, do far more damage in far less time."

Once again that sinking feeling came over the Scarlet Witch and she had to back away from the conversation to quell her stomach. Something was about to happen that she knew she wouldn't like, and it still had to do with her father. She wondered how he could be plaguing her even after being imprisoned in a talisman that she thought would hold him for a good, long time. If the talisman wasn't holding Lord Magnus, then she would have no choice but to destroy it and him, despite how her brother would feel about the situation. As the decision settled in her mind, Scarlet looked up and found the rest of the Brotherhood already surrounding her.

"Party's dead," Captain Remington noted. "I t'ink we've worn out our welcome, neh?"

"More like Quicksilver did with that miniature Mekan Ikull of his," Sky Fire added. "So what's the verdict, Scar? Are we out of here?"

"Yeah, let's go," Scarlet replied, then linked her left arm around Lancelot's waist. With his right arm draped over her shoulders, the two lead the procession of the Brotherhood on their way out of the mansion. They left their hosts to clean up the mess that had been made, and though members of the order wanted to protest, Professor Xavier allowed the Brotherhood to leave without incident. He sensed the distress felt by the Scarlet Witch and knew that asking her and her friends to stay for anything more would have been a bad idea. His offer would have to wait until another occasion under better circumstances.

  


The Sisterhood of the East had become quite comfortable in their new home, stolen from the Astral Archers who had obtained it as payment by Quicksilver. After doing a bit of magical redecorating to make the Asterum Spire more to their liking, the sorceresses took to foraging through Lord Magnus' records for whatever they could use to increase their guild's power. Mystique held her own private expedition in the throne room where, years ago, she had detected two immense sources of power going virtually unused. The sensation came from underneath the cone-shaped pedestal that held Lord Magnus' throne, and Mystique threw everything she had at it to try and break it open; the pedestal was as sturdy as it looked. For days she sent wave after wave of magic at it, stopping only to rest and recharge, but even weeks of progress provided only a small hole in the pedestal's hard exterior. Whatever spell Lord Magnus had cast on it held the pedestal together like strong cement.

After releasing her final energy blast for that day, Mystique collapsed to one knee and seethed at the object that tormented her so much. Sabretooth was still dangling from the ceiling and despite his constant pain, found breath to express his amusement at her plight. Mystique responded to his wheezing laughter with a growl, but didn't bother to strain herself by trying to cause him more pain. As she continued to rest, the Rogue entered the throne room and approached her with a tray of food.

"You've been tryin' at that throne for weeks now, Mystique," her apprentice said as she stopped near her. "Maybe you should give it a rest for a while. We could probably find some sort of spell to loosen it in Magnus' library."

The sorceress sighed wearily as she conjured up a plush chair and pulled herself into it. "Perhaps," she muttered, then took the tray from her student. "I don't know why I didn't think of that earlier. I'm being too eager to have that pedestal removed." Her expression lifted as the aroma of her food hit her along with the thought of all the power that would soon be hers. "With Lord Magnus no longer looming overhead, I have all the time in the world to divide his power amongst us."

Rogue smirked at her mentor's avarice. "All this power will be pretty nice to have, but what're we gonna do with it once it's ours?"

"Rule the world, of course," Mystique said in a chuckle. "Also, we'll go about it a little swifter than Lord Magnus. He always seemed so hesitant to conquer. Some days I wondered if he really had the heart for world domination."

Their conversation was halted by a sinking feeling they felt simultaneously and a strange sound that built up in the distance. As it grew louder, the sound became recognized as something similar to glass shattering. But, when they looked out the high-set windows of the throne room, they saw what it really was. The large force field that the Sisterhood of the East surrounded Asterum with was breaking; its pieces separated from each other and dissipated during their tumble to the ground below. Such a shield created by the experienced sorceresses should not have been broken so easily or its tamper gone without notice, but somehow it had happened.

Mystique banished her food and seat as she started for the doors of the throne room, then cries from familiar voices stopped her in her tracks. Down the hall, she could hear her sorceresses fighting a losing battle with someone who had infiltrated their new stronghold. Unseen magic shook the Asterum Spire as it missed its target and struck the walls, then bone-crunching echoes accompanied cries of death that sounded out as the battle ended. The Rogue positioned herself to defend her weakened mentor from whatever was approaching, but Mystique pushed her aside, knowing that her charge would do little good against whatever had just slaughtered her guild.

A rush of wind shoved the doors of the throne room open and Quicksilver entered dragging one of the remaining sorceresses by her hair. The battered woman clawed furiously at his hand, but the blood that already stained it kept her nails from getting a sufficient grip. As he came far enough into the room, the man waved his free hand backwards and the doors of the throne room secured themselves shut. Then, he threw the woman with such force that she tumbled the length of the floor that separated him and Mystique.

The sorceress scowled at the intrusion, and her apprentice stared unknowingly at the stone-faced man that stood across from them. "Quicksilver, what the Hell are you doin'," the Rogue yelled at him.

"That's not Quicksilver," Mystique said as she gripped her staff with both hands. An unsettling smirk that developed on Quicksilver's face confirmed her mystic intuition: Lord Magnus was alive, and he was using his son's body to carry out his will. As sorrow overwhelmed him, Quicksilver gave into his moment of desperation and opened himself to his father's control. The amulet that was magically fixed to his neck had been absorbed into his body, providing the perfect hiding place for Magnus while he sought true freedom.

The smirk on Quicksilver's face faded into a grim expression as he began a slow trek forward. "Thought your treachery would go without reprimand, eh, sorceress? Come now. You should know better than to rely on ever-changing prophecies from that blind soothsayer of yours." His eyes blazed, then a chain shot out of the darkness of the room and wrapped partway around the neck of the sorceress laying at Mystique's feet. As she choked, more chains latched onto her limbs and dragged her off to where she couldn't be seen, but her screams could be heard as she was ripped apart. "I have waited centuries for the right moment to show you why your efforts are futile," the man said as he continued to walk forward. "Now you'll see just what a fool you've been all these years."

Mystique struck the ground with her staff and created a barrier that cut the throne room in half. While Quicksilver approached and examined it, she turned to her apprentice and said, "Get out of here, Rogue! You have to warn someone that Lord Magnus has been revived!"

"But what about you," Rogue asked, unwilling to leave her mentor behind.

"Do as I say, NOW," the sorceress commanded, then turned her attention fully to the threat at hand. With a simple pluck of his fingers, Quicksilver disabled her barrier and continued his approach. She knew it was too weak to hold him, but she had to do something to give her charge time to escape. As the Rogue took off in the form of a bat, Mystique brandished her staff and mentally prepared a spell to use against the man approaching her.

"Powerful forces at my command, send pain and misery from the palm of my hand!" Mystique pulled an orb of energy from the bauble of her staff, then sent a series of green lightning bolts at Quicksilver; all of them were deflected.

"'Send pain and misery from the palm of my hand,'" he repeated in a mocking tone, continuing his slow approach. "I suppose in your weakened state, I can't expect you to make a good rhyme, now can I? Well then. Allow me." Stopping a few yards away from Mystique, Quicksilver made motions with his hands as he recited, "Speed of the body, strength of the brain. Display of true power, display of true PAIN!" Dark energy collected in his hands as he whirled them in front of himself, then he threw out the energy in a series of bolts that each struck the sorceress down. It brought Quicksilver great amusement to watch her smoldering body tumble across the floor and as she started to pick herself up, he rushed next to her and knelt down to get a closer look at her struggle.

"My son's young body has me feeling rather playful, Mystique." As he knelt down, the image of Lord Magnus could almost be seen overlapping Quicksilver's frame. "I could keep up your torture all day, if I didn't have other things to do. My only decision now is over what to do with you." He frowned bitterly while gripping her chin and forcing her to stare into his face. "Do you want to die, Mystique? Do you want me to kill you now and put you out of your misery? I'm afraid you won't be so lucky. In fact, I think I will savor you until I'm better situated. Then, we will see how long it takes to get a proper scream out of th--AGH!" Quicksilver was forced to withdraw his hand as Mystique clawed at it, then the sorceress transformed into a black cat and started to run away; unfortunately, her escape would not be so easy. After rubbing his hand, the man slammed his fist into the floor and a series of curved spikes shot out of the marble in a circular formation around the cat. She shrieked and tried to leap away from the trap, but each spike curled forward to close what little space there would have been for a narrow escape.

Quicksilver's malicious smirk returned once he made his way to the cage that now held Mystique, then he exhaled a purple haze that covered it like a sheet. The spell within the haze would prevent the sorceress from changing form and she knew it; she could feel her magic being suppressed within herself. "That should keep you 'til I see fit to release you," the man stated, then turned and started for his throne. On his way there, he stopped and looked up at the dangling interlock of iron and flesh that was Sabretooth. Quicksilver lingered for a moment as he studied the former General's condition, then with a clench of his fist, he caused the brace that held the beastman's bonds to give way.

The bundle that held Sabretooth fell to the ground and unraveled itself, leaving his mutilated body to lay in a pool of his own blood. He felt nothing but pain as he laid there, but with punctured lungs and loose vocal chords he couldn't properly express it. Eventually his regenerative powers kicked in and his body started knitting itself back together; as soon as he could, Sabretooth let out a roar that echoed throughout the spire and could be heard by creatures off the shore of Asterum. After being forced to hang in mutilation for so long, the relief of pulling himself back together was no different from the pain of being torn apart in the first place. Every bone popping into place--every muscle that shifted to perfect form--every aspect of his body's healing was felt and expressed through a guttural cry. Quicksilver stood stoic throughout the beastman's repair and lament, and only offered him a lasting look of discontent as he clasped his arms behind his back while standing over him.

Sabretooth wallowed onto his side and breathed heavily after his ordeal, but he never took his eyes off his master's new vessel. "Lord Magnus," he rasped between breaths. "You're... alive... and, different..."

"I am... increasingly angered, if that makes a difference," Quicksilver stated in a dangerously calm tone, then turned to pace the floor. "Currently I'm trapped in my son's frame. That spell the Scarlet Witch cast over me is quite strong; it prevents me from reabsorbing my expelled energy, so I weaken every time I make an effort."

The beastman struggled to turn so he could keep an eye on him. "But your energy is emptying itself into your son's body. I can feel it happening!"

"I don't want it to happen," Quicksilver snapped, then looked displeasingly at his minion. "My son is still loyal to me; he proved this by pleading for my life, and accepting my control so that I could reclaim what is rightfully mine." He looked thoughtfully at his body. "I have to free myself from him before I end up consuming his soul. To do that, I will need the Jade Kriss from Talsee's altar room." His expression softened momentarily, then he focused a hard gaze on his minion. "You have expressed a tendency for treachery, Sabretooth. Does that tendency still exist?"

Slowly and unsteadily, Sabretooth rose to his feet but kept his posture humble. "I have... spent much time repenting for that mistake," he admitted. "I suffered, unsurpassed pain... for days... weeks..."

"And you will remember that pain the next time you share your like for disloyalty." Quicksilver turned his attention to the damage that had been done to the pedestal that held the throne. "You will help me retrieve the Jade Kriss," he said as he studied the breach. "You will rejoin my ranks, and you will have no more thoughts of deceiving me. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Lord Magnus..."

"Good." A smirk settled into Quicksilver's expression. "Take your leave, General. Find your beasts and prepare them for a siege. We will take on Talsee as soon as you're ready."

Sabretooth's vigor increased as he regained his former title. Posture poised, he brought his heels together and bowed for his master. "As you wish," he stated, then left to begin his preparations.


	2. Chapter 2

**Twice the Family Reunion**

Instead of returning to the Eternal Garden, the Scarlet Witch decided to stay in Bavil for a few weeks to visit some old friends. Micro Ikull tagged along, after being abandoned by Quicksilver. After the banquet, Scarlet found it sitting alone in the Seraph Inn with only blazing footprints as a sign of her brother's departure. But, though Quicksilver had taken off without telling her, she didn't make any effort to find him. It was obvious from his behavior at the banquet that he needed his space and she planned on giving it to him.

A week after the night of the banquet, La Gambit returned to the port of Bavil after days of aimless wandering. The crew let it shove off without proper supplies and a quick U-turn was their best course of action. When she heard about their return, Scarlet dropped everything else she was doing and rushed out to see them.

On the deck of La Gambit, Captain Remington paced before several members of his crew who were vigorously scrubbing portions of the lower deck. "Now after y'get done wit' dat," he lectured, "y'can work on de upper deck. Den I'm sure dere's plenty of barnacles on de underside of de ship dat could stand t'be scraped. And, if Blob and Colossus are back wit' supplies by den, you can help bring dem on d'ship. Maybe all that will strengthen your minds when it comes to remembering our ship needs food, no?" His ears picked up on the sound of boots on his gangplank and when he turned to look, he was happily surprised by Scarlet's presence. "Ques cu c'est? I didn't know you were still in Bavil, cher. I would've come find you myself."

Scarlet continued onto the lower deck as she waved to him. "I just thought I'd try and track down everyone I used to know while I'm on this side of the continent," she stated. "Better than making several trips."

"For supplies, several trips are usually a waste of time." Remington eyed his crew as he stated this, then shrugged casually. "But we always make de exception for friends." He made his way towards Scarlet, then stopped as he saw Micro Ikull make an unsteady climb up the gangplank. "... What is dat t'ing doing coming onto my ship?"

Scarlet looked back at the dragon, then at the Captain. "Micro's been following me around for about a week now. It hasn't caused me any trouble yet, so I haven't tried to get rid of it."

"Shouldn't that thing be followin' Quicksilver around," Sky Fire asked as she came up one of the ship's hatches. "That boy needs to learn how to put away his toys, I tell you."

"Quicksilver still hasn't shown himself." The witch sighed as she found a crate to sit on. "I'm starting to think he's never coming back. If that's what he wants, I guess it's okay. But still." When Micro Ikull sat down next to her, she brought her right hand to rest on its forehead. Despite its resemblance to a creature she sometimes had nightmares about, the charm of the mechanical dragon had caused it to grow on her.

"That brother of yours needs to grow up," Sky Fire stated as she found a place to sit near her friend. "That's all there is to it. Lord Magnus got his dues when you encased him in that amulet, though if you ask me, you shoulda blasted him instead of lettin' Quicksilver sweet-talk you into lettin' him live."

Scarlet rolled her eyes. "Quicksilver didn't sweet-talk me into anything." She gazed at the ocean and sighed thoughtfully. "I considered destroying Lord Magnus, but that would have been too good for him. He needed to be put in a position where he was forced to see that the world wasn't his to demolish." Her gaze lingered on the dragon that sat next to her, then ventured to Sky Fire. "I thought that if I imprisoned him, then dragged Quicksilver around and forced him to help me repair the damage our father had done, I'd kill two birds with one stone: Quicksilver's inability to see the good in doing good, and Lord Magnus' need for reform."

Her friend shook her head after listening to her talk. "Well the keyword's already been spoken, Scar. 'Force'. You can't force a man to fall out of his way of thinkin', even when you cast a spell on him. When that spell's broken, he'll go right back to bein' what he was before you cursed him."

"But I didn't curse Quicksilver..."

"To him you did, and that's what matters." Sky Fire stood up and turned towards the gangplank. "Look, Scar. Your bro's got a ton of issues to work out on his own. Havin' his father within arm's length but unable to be reached just tops off the list. If you'd have destroyed Lord Magnus, it would have traumatized Quicksilver, but he'd have gotten over it in time. As long as that sorcerer exists, his very presence will eat away at your brother like hyenas on a feedin' frenzy. And the world will be in danger of fallin' under his vicious rule once again." She shook her head as she started for the pier. "Anyhoo. Gonna go see what's takin' Colossus and Blob so long to get food. Damn muscle heads wouldn't know what to do with their time if--" Before she could finish her rant, a shout from overhead pulled her attention skyward, as well as the attention of everyone within hearing range.

A fair-skinned boy rode over Bavil on the back of a gryphon and his voice carried further than possible by mortal men. He was a County Crier--a specially bred humanoid whose purpose in life was to spread news from one portion of a continent to the next. "Those traversing to Florda may wish to postpone the trip," the boy shouted. "A massive pack of saber-toothed tigers have been spotted at the border, bearing south en route to Talsee. They will be there within a day, but on the way they are destroying everything and anything within their path."

More things were shouted, but that information was all that interested the Scarlet Witch and the crew of La Gambit. Saber-toothed tigers hadn't shown themselves since the siege of Newark, and for them to surface at all could only mean that General Sabretooth somehow survived that fall into the volcano. Scarlet exchanged grim looks with Sky Fire and Captain Remington, then the three stood together and made plans to pursue the tiger pack.

"Should we try assemblin' the B-Team," Sky Fire asked.

"It would take too long," Scarlet replied. "Lance should be all the way to the Eternal Garden by now and it takes seven days by horse to get there."

"Toad's home ain't but a ways off from Florda. I could take Blooper and get him unless you think he'd be too cowardly for the job."

"Bring all the Hopperas if you can. We'll definitely need their help."

"It go'n take us two days t'reach dere by boat," Remington said as he rubbed his chin. "But dat's d'fastest way d'Blob's gettin' dere, as well as d'rest of m'crew."

"The folks at Talsee can hold their own pretty well enough," Sky Fire stated. "They should still be puttin' up a struggle when we get there."

Scarlet nodded at their words. "Good. Let's go, then. Lance'll be pissed that he missed out on this, but he'll just have to deal with it."

The crew of La Gambit were excused from their punishment so they could rush into town and help gather supplies quicker. Once the ship was properly furnished with food and other things, it set sail for the southeastern edge of Unista.

  


During the night, one member of the Order of the Sacred Letter always stood thoughtful on his balcony before going to bed. Kurt Wagner, also known as the Nightcrawler, stared at the sky with his hands clasped behind his back. He watched the stars come into view one by one and listened to the creatures that lurked in the darkness. Some chirped, some croaked, but each sound came together as a melody no orchestra could master. Listening to the night life soothed him in ways few other aspects of his life could, and once he had his fill of his nightly concert he was more than ready to turn in.

Just as Kurt turned his back on the railing, his ears picked up on the sound of flapping and heavy breathing. When he turned to look, he was surprised to see a bat that was abnormally large coming his way. The bat was doing all the panting, and when it reached the balcony it dropped out of the air and into a heap near his feet. Almost immediately it shifted forms and became Rogue, the apprentice of Mystique. Kurt recognized her right away and knelt down to help her up.

"Rogue, what are you doing here," he asked as he cradled her in his arms. The apprentice caught her breath for a bit longer before speaking.

"Nightcrawler, ya'll gotta help," she puffed and panted. "Lord Magnus... Quicksilver... He.. They..."

Kurt shook his head as he helped her to her feet. "Slow down, fraulein! Take a deep breath, then tell me everything."

Rogue shook her head rapidly as she gripped the collar of his tan suit jacket. "There's no time for breathin'! Lord Magnus has possessed Quicksilver and is usin' him to take over again!"

He looked at her in shock. "What? How do you know this? I thought the Brotherhood had taken care of Lord Magnus!"

"They did a lousy job of it, that's for sure," Rogue stated with a sneer. "Could you assemble the Order of the Sacred Letter an' get them to help? We're gonna need all that we can get if we're gonna try an' get to Mystique before it's too late."

"Mystique?" The name was spoken with an almost hate-filled hiss. "_She_ is involved in this? There is no way I am going to make an effort to save her! Whatever she gets in all her devilment, she deserves!"

As he turned his back on her, the Rogue caught hold of Kurt's shoulder and forced him to face her again. "You _have_ to help us, Nightcrawler! She's your mother!"

"_She_ is the whole reason I am at the institute!" He gripped the ring on his right index finger and stroked the sapphire that was imbedded into it. As the sapphire changed into a diamond, his human form fell away to reveal his true one. His skin color faded from peach to indigo and his irises lost their brown tone. His ears and canid teeth became pointed and a spear-tipped tail slipped out between the twin tails of his coat. He stepped out of his shoes just before his feet elongated to their original length and the fingers on his hands melded together until he only had two on each hand along with his thumbs.

"If it weren't for her stupid gallivanting with other people's husbands, I wouldn't have to hide myself from the world," Nightcrawler hissed in his naturally demonic voice. "I owe her nothing for my life, especially not rescue! She was working for Lord Magnus long before she had me; her deeds are now just catching up with her."

"AND WHAT IF SHE DIES," Rogue yelled angrily. "When I left Asterum, _Lord Magsilver_ was only a few steps away from puttin' his hands on her! Your momma's strong, Nightcrawler, but she's not invincible! Magnus' idea of repentance could very well be a slow and painful death! Now what are you gonna do if she's still alive, right at this moment, giving you plenty of time to save her, but you don't and she dies because of it? It'll be on _your_ head, Monk, and you of _all_ people know you can't just abandon her because of past deeds!"

Nightcrawler's tail lashed furiously as he listened to her talk and eventually he turned away in shame. Being cursed at birth with a demonic form hadn't made his life easy and he only had his mother to blame for it. But the Rogue was right; if he abandoned Mystique when she needed him most, he would be no better than the creatures he greatly resembled. Sighing to himself, Nightcrawler touched his ring and changed back to his human guise.

"The team leaders are not home right now," he stated calmly. "They're on their way to Talsee to stop a horde of saber-toothed tigers from destroying the area."

"Saber-toothed tigers?" Rogue knew exactly what that meant. "Lord Magnus set Sabretooth free! Which means Mystique could already be dead..."

Kurt placed a hand on her shoulder for reassurance. "Have faith, my sister. If there is one thing I know about my mother, it's that she is quite the escape artist." He smiled at his own words, then put his shoes back on. "It may take us a while, but we will try to catch up to them. I hope you don't mind the smell of sulphur..."

Rogue smirked as he held out his hand to her, then she took it and squeezed it tightly. "Never did when we were li'l." A flash of light and puff of smoke signaled their departure as they disappeared from the mansion property.

  


Leaving few things alive in their wake, the horde of saber-toothed tigers carved a straight line of destruction on their way to Talsee. Sabretooth lead the charge with Quicksilver riding alongside him; his father didn't want him to exert any energy, knowing it would only hasten the process of his soul's consumption. The sun had barely shown itself over the peaks of a distant mountain range when the tiger horde reached the outskirts of the walled city and their presence didn't go without notice. Almost immediately a trumpet of warning sounded to alert soldiers and encourage the helpless to hide. Defenders filed to the north side of the city where the creatures were waiting outside its walls, then word was sent to the temple in the center of the city for its guardians to make preparations.

Mounted on separate saber-toothed tigers, Sabretooth and Quicksilver approached the northern gate of Talsee and waited to be addressed. While the city's army continued to prepare itself, one of its Generals stepped up to the parapet above the gate and called out to them. "What do you wish here in Talsee?"

"My lord demands the Jade Kriss," Sabretooth shouted back. "Hand it over, and we'll _try_ to leave without incident."

The General on the wall frowned at the vague threat. "The Jade Kriss is not for the likes of you! Be gone! You will not achieve what you seek by threat of brutality!"

Quicksilver stirred from his hunched posture and focused a feverish gaze on the parapets. His complexion had become pasty and his eyes were bloodshot--all of his body ached from trying to resist the unstoppable consumption. Sweat dripped from his brow and his teeth grinded together as he glared at the General that addressed him. "I, _need_ that Kriss," he hissed, then stared forward at the iron gate that blocked all entry. "Threats... No. Brutality... Yes." His eyes gained a bluish glow as he stretched his right hand forward. While his fingers slowly came together in a fist, the gate wrenched into a large ball, then he pulled his hand towards him and the gate flew out of the wall and crashed to the ground behind the horde of saber-toothed tigers. They gladly took that as their cue and raced towards the open gateway.

Such power shocked the General, but he regained himself in time to give commands. "Fire on them! Use the rapid fire crossbows!" Every third soldier standing on the wall hefted a large crossbow onto his right shoulder and aimed down at the incoming horde. The soldiers without crossbows held onto thin but lengthy ribbons of animal hide which held arrows laying side-by-side along their lengths. When the crossbows started firing, the soldiers constantly pulled on the ribbons to keep them feeding smoothly into the weapons. Each crossbow fired arrows faster than any archer could on his own and the hail of arrows that rained down on the saber-toothed tigers quickly became more than enough to keep them at bay.

Quicksilver's expression soured moreso than it already was when the rain of arrows started coming down and once again his eyes took on a bluish glow. Any arrow that came remotely close to striking him was repelled by an unseen source, then slowly all of the arrows began to stop moving. Whether in mid-air or bouncing off the ground the arrows froze in place, and on the north wall of the city, the rapid fire crossbows ceased working properly. While the soldiers frantically checked their equipment to try and solve the problem, the arrows that had been fired rotated to face upward, then were sent back at them with more thrust than when they left. The soldiers were forced to scramble as their own weapons were turned against them, leaving the north gate free for entry.

"I... want... the KRISS," Quicksilver rasped angrily, then signaled for Sabretooth to continue leading the charge.

Hundreds of saber-toothed tigers poured into the city streets and tore a jagged path towards the large temple that sat at its center; however, it was by no means an easy task. Talsee was highly known as an industrial establishment and everyone who lived there knew how to make mechanical weapons of moderate-to-mass destruction. Those that were willing to fight, eagerly brought out their armaments and threw everything they could at the tiger horde. Still, their struggle was in vain. Each tiger took more arrows to take down than some residents had in their arsenal and the falling of one seemed to inspire two or three more to attack harder than before. By the time night fell on that day, the horde had managed to forge its way to the temple with a considerable number of its pack still alive and battle ready.

  


La Gambit found no port close enough to Talsee for docking, so it weighed anchor in a cove while its Captain and a few members of its crew made the long trek to the industrial city. When they reached the edge of the valley where the city was located, they stopped to take a good look at how well it was holding up without them. Even from a distance, it wasn't hard to see that most of Talsee's people were dead and its remaining few were fleeing in terror.

"I think we've come too late," the Scarlet Witch said as she peered forward. "It looks like the saber-toothed tigers have already taken over."

"True, but why have dey taken over," Remington wondered. "What do dey want wit' de industrial capital of d'world? Nothin' but stinky gadgets an' unsportsmanlike weaponry dere."

"General Sabretooth's middle name is 'unsportsmanlike.' Maybe he's there to stock up."

A bird-like cry echoed across the valley and caught their attention. Parting the smog-filled clouds above the area was a roc whose feathers were dark enough to help it blend into the atmosphere. Its wings created fierce winds as it flapped them backwards rapidly to slow itself, then it landed not far from the north entrance of Talsee and lowered to the ground. A group of people slipped from its back and ran to join the fray within the city's walls, but at a distance, Scarlet and Captain Remington couldn't see who they were.

"What do you t'ink dat's all about," the Captain asked.

"I don't know," Scarlet replied, "but like them we should be in there. I'm sure Sky Fire will catch up once she has the Hopperas. Let's go!" The discussion ended as she led Captain Remington and his crew on a brisk run towards the eastern gate of Talsee.

  


Everything within the city's walls looked like the remnants of a battlefield. Fires raged over the ruins of certain buildings and the bodies of soldiers and civilians littered the area. Groups of saber-toothed tigers continued to attack anything still willing to put up a fight, and the tigers that roamed alone found dead or dying people to gnaw on. Sabretooth walked amongst the carnage like a man on a quiet stroll through a park, with his hands clasped behind his back and a simple smile on his face. It pleased him just to watch the destruction take place and--on occasion--drag his claws along the stone foundation of certain buildings to leave his mark. As he continued his stroll, the General picked up on the heavy scent of fear and followed it to a hut made of sheet metal where three children were huddled together. Seeing him stop in the doorway increased their fear to the point where their scent was almost intoxicating.

"Hey there, kids," Sabretooth said as he leaned in the hut. "What's wrong? Aw, you don't have to be afraid of me. I like children. In fact, I got a gang of my own." He backed away from the hut and called over his shoulder, "Oh kids, it's playtime!"

Pairs of glowing, yellow eyes brought light to the shadow of a nearby alley, then one-by-one a series of bestial children leaped from the darkness. They swarmed the hut to the point where no one inside of it could move. The human children screamed in terror as they were attacked, and Sabretooth bellowed with laughter.

"The trouble with having fifty-four wives is you'll end up having more than fifty-four children," he said, then roared as he was suddenly blown off his feet by a red energy beam.

Cyclops of the Sacred Letter raced towards the hut with his right hand on the rim of his glasses. He was dressed for battle in a black body suit with armor lightly covering his vital areas, and he wasn't the only one. Other members of the order had branched away from his charge to make rescues in different directions. While he blasted away at the horde of beast children that quickly turned their attention on him, Shadowcat slipped through the back of the hut using her phasing ability and pulled the human children to safety. They had been injured, but fortunately none of the injuries were serious.

"I've got 'em, Cyke! We can go now!"

"Great! Take them to the Blackbird; she'll keep them safe!" Cyclops cleared his path of the bestial children and started searching for Sabretooth. He combed the sooty streets of Talsee and made his way deep into its back alleys. A few times he saw the silhouette of the General against alley walls and followed them around corners, only to find nothing. Behind a factory, he heard a sound above him and let loose his energy beam towards a window. A masculine cry accompanied the explosion of brick and metal, then the figure that fell away from the building tumbled to the other side of the alley and threw a glowing projectile in retaliation. Cyclops dove to avoid the blast and jumped to his feet in time to see who it was.

"YOU!" He was surprised and angry to see Captain Remington standing across from him.

"Oh, it's just you." The Captain wasn't happy to see him, either, but rather than throw a card, he pocketed the three he had prepared to charge.

Sneering, Cyclops stepped forward and reached out to grab Remington by his collar. "Trying to steal our mission, thief?" The Captain pulled his cutlass from his belt and used it to keep distance between them.

"Thief? Remy don't know what you're talkin' about."

Cyclops' fists clenched as he spoke. "You know exactly what I'm talking about! You and your criminal band stole jewelry from several of our women's rooms and money from the men! Not to mention _three_ pairs of my ruby glasses!"

Remington's chin and expression lifted as he feigned revelation. "Ohh, you mean dat. Well, d'party was so bad we jus' felt you all owed us somet'in for gracing you wit' our presence. And y'do have four more pairs of those shades, including one hidden in a box under your night stand with some rather peculiar portraits of young women. Now, does d'Professor know you keep such t'ings in your room?" He ducked in time to avoid a direct energy blast. "Temper, temper," the Captain teased as he pulled a card from his coat pocket. The card was charged and tossed, but it went past Cyclops and took out a saber-toothed tiger that was trying to creep up on him. The fact that he didn't notice it was more of a shock to him than Remington saving his life.

"See? Remy ain't so bad," the Captain said as he straightened out his coat. "Now. 'Less you wanna go 'round d'block with me--which wouldn't be wise, since I already know your one trick--let's just call it a truce for now, eh?"

Cyclops had his mouth fixed to object, but a sudden and recognizable puff of smoke before him stopped the comment from coming. Kurt Wagner and Rogue appeared next to the two men and immediately Kurt collapsed from mental exhaustion. He had used his short-range teleportation powers to carry himself and Mystique's apprentice all the way to Talsee, and the constant dimensional leaping finally wore him out. Cyclops knelt down beside Wagner to check his condition, then looked up at Rogue and addressed her. "Who are you? What are you and Kurt doing here?"

"I am The Rogue, and I got Kurt to take me here so I could ask for your help," the young woman replied. "Lord Magnus has returned to Asterum in the form of Quicksilver and he's tryin' to rebuild his empire!"

Captain Remington's surprise was genuine this time. "Lord Magnus possessed Quicksilver? How's dat possible?"

"Obviously you and your Brotherhood screwed up," Cyclops snapped at him, then slung Kurt over his shoulder and rose to his feet. "Come on, Rogue. I'm meeting the others in the Temple of Ironwork; you can explain more once we get there!" He took off, with Rogue following quickly behind. Remington didn't waste time watching them go; he turned and made his own detour towards the same destination.

  


The Temple of Ironwork that stood in the center of Talsee could very well have been mistaken for a fortress due to its formidable appearance. Its entire framework was made out of simple metals encased in iron and given jagged spikes along any seams and corners that jutted away from it. Billows at the top of the temple exhaled thick clouds of smoke into the atmosphere, explaining the constant darkness that loomed over the rest of the city and the valley beyond. Lights flickered in the windows of the factory rooms where awesome creations were invented and perfected.

None of the temple's splendor mattered to the horde of saber-toothed tigers that stormed its front entrance. After Quicksilver used his father's power to tear a hole large enough for them to run through, he lead the charge through its wide halls towards the center where the altar room was situated. Yet, there was still one obstacle for him to overcome. Two disciples watched over the altar room constantly and when the tigers' charge brought them close to the archway leading into it, they focused their combined power into putting up a force field strong enough to keep them at bay. Each tiger that bounced into the shield was driven back by a painful blast of energy and after a few foolish tries, they all stopped and paced at the entryway.

Quicksilver seethed as he glared at the disciples from the other side of the force field. He was tempted to use more of his father's power, but he had already sped up the process of his consumption by too much. Just as he turned to find an alternate way into the altar room, he caught a flash of movement out the corner of his eye and managed to duck and avoid being hit by a series of bone spears that were flung his way. Spyke and other members of the Order of the Sacred Letter blocked the path down the other end of the hall, trapping Quicksilver and the thirteen saber-toothed tigers that were with him.

"It's over, pal," Spyke called, then pointed his right arm towards the man. "Surrender now, or face the consequences!"

Quicksilver looked over his shoulder at the force field and was intrigued to find that the bone spears had managed to pierce it without being destroyed. His lips pulled into a cruel smirk as he focused his attention back on his would-be captors, then he spoke to them. "Face the consequences? Aww, did you spend all night rehearsing that line for just this moment? I'm sure your mom must be very proud."

Spyke sneered as three spikes extended themselves from his wrists. "Shut up, man! Now are you going to surrender, or do I have to put holes in you first?"

"I think you know the answer to that one, sport. Sabers..." Two of the saber-toothed tigers raced forward to attack the group.

A man whose body was completely covered in ice stepped forward and declared, "I got it!" He sent two beams of energy at the tigers and on contact, the beams froze them solid. The team members stood aside as the frozen tigers slid past them, but before they could turn their attention back to Quicksilver, they ended up giving it to the Scarlet Witch. She was standing further down the hall from them and by simply clenching her fist, she caused the frozen tigers to crumbled into crushed ice. Past the others she could see her brother and when he caught sight of her as well, a completely new plan formulated in the back of his mind.

"Quicksilver, what are you doing here," Scarlet asked as she stepped forward.

"Scarlet, you gotta help me," her brother pleaded. "These guys are trying to prevent me from getting an artifact I need to uncurse myself!"

"LIAR," Spyke yelled, then sent another array of bone spears his way.

This is what Quicksilver was waiting for. When the spears came his way, he used his unnatural speed to snatch them all out of the air, then throw them at the force field faster than before. This time, the spears went straight through the field and continued on until they struck the two disciples and killed them instantly. The force field dissipated moments later, then Quicksilver rushed into the altar room to claim his prize.

Scarlet was quite confused by the situation she was presented with, but she reacted all the same. She snapped her fingers and stopped the Order of the Sacred Letter as well as the saber-toothed tigers from following Quicksilver into the altar room, then strode forward and stood in its entrance. In the center of the room, her brother stood hunched over an iron pedestal where the Jade Kriss balanced mystically on its point. He gripped the onyx handle with his right hand, then let the fingers of his left glide gently over the symbols that were engraved in its blade. As its name implied, it was fashioned from solid jade and looked sharp enough to do what he wanted.

"Quicksilver? What are you doing?"

The man spun to face his sister and held the kriss close to body. He had a wild look to his eyes and breathed in heavy breaths. "We're undoing what you've done to us," he stated as he held the kriss away from himself, positioning it so the blade was pointed in his direction.

"We?" Scarlet studied her brother for a moment, then her eyes went wide as she noticed that the amulet and its chain were no longer around his neck. It suddenly dawned on her what was going on and she rushed forward to try and stop it. "Quicksilver, don't!"

"Too late!" He plunged the blade of the Jade Kriss into his abdomen and almost tipped forward because of it. Scarlet stopped and watched in horror as he dragged the kriss upward through his own flesh, then dropped to his knees. Blood worked its way out of his wound and onto his hands and clothes, quickly soaking him and the nearby ground in crimson.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Scarlet started forward again, but this time she stopped to guard her eyes from a blinding flash that leaped from Quicksilver's body. He lifted off the ground and rotated slowly in mid-air while more flashes and bolts of dark lightning flew from the wound made by the Jade Kriss. He cried out in agony when the pain became too much to bear, but the process continued and increased in intensity. The energy that flew out of him collected in a violet storm cloud that violently released its rage upon the altar room, striking pillars with bolts and quickly weakening the foundation. When the drain ceased, Quicksilver's body dropped to the ground, then the cloud changed shape.

The Scarlet Witch shook her head in slow disbelief as she watched the cloud take on the form of Lord Magnus and solidify to give him back his proper appearance. With no helmet to cover his face, his daughter could clearly see the look of disdain that settled in the gaze he focused on her. Then, a completely different look was focused down on Quicksilver. Lord Magnus' expression maintained emotional neutrality, but there was unmistakable pity in his eyes that lasted for as long as he focused on his dying child. With what little energy he had left, Quicksilver lifted one of his hands in silent plea for his father to save him, and as the hand started to fall, Lord Magnus took it and held it firmly in his own.

"YOU CAN'T HAVE HIM," Scarlet yelled as she finally reacted. Her hands sent orbs of red energy in her father's direction, but he deflected them by simply holding up his free hand. After the orbs crashed into separate walls of the altar room, Lord Magnus raised his free hand above his head and sent out a thin beam that cut around him into every wall and support pillar that was keeping the room together. It didn't take long for the temple to start collapsing around them, but Scarlet was too desperate for her brother's safety to care for her own. Fortunately for her, Captain Remington had managed to reach the temple long ago and after observing the restoration of Lord Magnus, he acted by leaping out of his hiding place, wrapping his arms around Scarlet, then running with her to the safety of the outside.

The beam Lord Magnus used had actually cut through the entire temple and sent it caving in on itself. Members of the Order of the Sacred Letter ran their own mission to get their members out that had been frozen by the Scarlet Witch, then they and the Brotherhood stood by and watched as the temple collapsed and exploded in various parts. A fire raged afterwards, but was quickly quelled by Storm: the dark-skinned woman who assisted Charles Xavier in maintaining the institute. She conjured up a heavy downpour of rain that cooled off the entire city, then used her power over the wind to blow away the clouds of smog that hovered over the valley. The light of dawn was a welcome change to the dark atmosphere that normally covered the area.

  


The horde of saber-toothed tigers were mostly vanquished and those that survived took off in scattered directions. General Sabretooth had completely disappeared along with the bestial children that he claimed were his own. But, even as things settled down for the city and its remaining residents, one woman would not rest until she knew for certain the fate of her brother. The Scarlet Witch used harsh winds and lifting spells to tear away at the ruins of the Temple of Ironwork, concentrating mainly where she thought the altar room used to stand. The rest of the Brotherhood stood aside and stayed out of her way; they knew if they tried to stop her, she would only blast them and keep going. While they waited, the Brotherhood fell under mild subjection from the Order of the Sacred Letter, who considered the siege of Talsee to be their responsibility.

"No one who predicts d'future goes 'round travelin' in a group of heroes," Captain Remington stated calmly as he sat down on a pile of bricks and folded his arms across his chest. "Scarlet did what she t'ought was best with Lord Magnus; now we just have t'correct dat mistake."

"YOU are NO HEROES," Cyclops barked. "Because of you, the world is about to face something far worse than Lord Magnus' rule! Lord Magnus' _wrath_! You think he's going to sit back and take time to plot how he's going to gain control again? No! He's pissed off and he's going to take his anger out on the rest of us!"

The ground shook as Blooper slapped it with its tail. "Cool yourself, four-eyes, or the next tail slap's comin' your way," Sky Fire said as her mount lowered her to eye level with the Sacred Letter. "After Scarlet's finished what she's doin', we'll handle this situation."

"Oh no, you're THROUGH handling this!" Cyclops put his thumb and index finger in his mouth and whistled strangely. Outside the north gate of Talsee, the roc heard the whistle and responded quickly. It stepped over the gate and found its way to the edge of the temple ruins, then lowered to the ground so that members of the Order of the Sacred Letter could easily climb onto its back. "You've had your chance to screw up," Cyclops said while his teammates mounted the giant bird. "We'll handle Lord Magnus from now on, just stay out of our way!" After punctuating his statement with a lasting glare, he turned and joined his team on the roc, then signaled for it to take off. The Brotherhood had to brace themselves as its wings created powerful gusts of wind to help it leave the ground.

Once the Sacred Letter were long gone, Captain Remington shook his head and stated, "Abruti." He then looked to where the Scarlet Witch was still searching for her brother. "Found him yet, Scarlet?"

The witch stretched her hands outward and cleared more scraps of metal from her path while calling over her shoulder to him. "I'm still looking!" When she turned her attention back to the ruins, she caught a glimpse of her brother's arm. "Over here! I've found him!" While the others came towards her, Scarlet spread more debris out of her way, then stared intensely at what she saw laying in front of her. Quicksilver's body looked as though it had been healed before the collapse, but it was still crushed under all the iron and stone of the temple. Knowing that she could resurrect him, Scarlet was relieved to find him still there, but she wondered why her father had left him behind when it looked as though he was bent on saving him in the first place. Dismissing the question, she began concentrating on healing his body again and summoning his spirit back to it.

Toad was the first to reach the twins and he stopped near Quicksilver's head to peer at him. When the man didn't move, Toad poked him in the forehead to see if he could get a reaction. "Did you resurrect him yet?"

Scarlet's brow furrowed as she continued to work her magic--something was wrong. After a while she stopped, then turned to the others and said, "His soul, I... I can't seem to find it. It's like it no longer exists on any plane!"

"Oo, and that's a bad thing, isn't it?" Toad winced as Sky Fire smacked him on the back of his head.

"Does that mean he's dead," she asked.

Scarlet didn't want to come to grips with that fact, but it seemed it might have been true. Quicksilver's body healed, but it remained cold and immobile; however, it didn't feel completely devoid of life. His soul was beyond his sister's detection and she knew only her father could be blamed for it. During the last moments of the collapse, he must have done something to secure Quicksilver's soul--Scarlet was certain of that much. "He's not alive, but he's not dead, either," she finally stated. "Sky, could you help me take him back to the Eternal Garden?"

"Sure thing, Scar." Sky Fire guided Blooper over to Quicksilver and had his body cradled gently in the dragon's forearms. Then she helped the Scarlet Witch behind her on its back. "You wanna take off now?"

"In a minute," Scarlet said as she looked down at the others. "Remy, I'm sorry I dragged you and your crew through all this for nothing. You too, Toad. Do you and the other Hopperas need a way to get home?"

"We can manage," the boy replied. "It's only a day's worth of hoppin', skippin' and jumpin', anyway."

"T'ink nothing of it, cher," Remington said, then turned to leave. Each member of his crew waved to Scarlet before turning to follow him.

  


The journey from Talsee to the Eternal Garden took four days by flying dragon to complete. When they arrived, Sky Fire took time to tell Sir Lancelot all that had happened while the Scarlet Witch put her brother to rest in a cave on the mountain range just outside of the garden. He was put in his best robe and other garments, then laid on a smooth slab and given a spell of protection to keep his body from being disturbed by potential thieves. Micro Ikull, Quicksilver's prized invention, kept a silent vigil laying next to the slab to further protect its master from harm. Scarlet was touched by its diligence and decided to let it be.

"I should not have left," Lancelot scowled as he sat on a bale of hay in the garden's barn. "I was so eager to get back here and work the field... I should have stayed and visited with Scarlet! Then I would have been on-hand for the battle at Talsee."

"Couldn't have done much more than we did," Sky Fire stated, remaining on the back of her mount. "Took us too long to get there by boat and air. Not only that, but we didn't know that Quicksilver had gone crazy an' gotten himself possessed by Lord Magnus."

"I knew." The knight sighed. "Or at least, I had a sneaking suspicion. The night of the banquet, he tossed me around as though I were a rag doll, and it felt just as it did when Lord Magnus used the same process on Asterum." He sighed again. "I should have tried to convince Scarlet moreso that the amulet needed to be destroyed. Now that Lord Magnus is free, he'll undoubtedly be coming after all of us for revenge."

Their conversation paused as Scarlet entered the barn through a side door and called to Lancelot. "Where's your shaving kit? I need to cut Quicksilver's hair."

"I'll get it for you," he replied, then went to give her a loving hug. After the hug, he slipped past her and made his way to the main house for the item she requested.

"Holdin' up all right, Scarlet," Sky Fire asked as she slid to the ground off of Blooper's back.

The witch nodded several times as a response. "I'll be fine," she stated. "Quicksilver's not dead, he's just... not able to come alive right now. After I make certain that he's properly protected, I'm going to Asterum and get his soul back."

"Are you sure that Lord Magnus has it, though? What if he actually released it? Or absorbed it into himself? I wouldn't put that past him, either."

"Then he'll pay with his life." Scarlet's face went deadpan as she spoke. "Lord Magnus took my brother from me long before this incident. At one time we were close and I've been trying to build that relationship up again, but thanks to my father's lasting influence, it's almost impossible to do anything but get into an argument with him. Still, he is my brother and I care a great deal for him. If I can save his soul from Magnus, then I can probably save the rest of him as well."

Her speech ended abruptly as Sir Lancelot entered the barn carrying a tray with shaving cream in a cup and razors of varying lengths. As he held the tray to her, the knight asked, "Would you like me to do it, Scarlet? I promise I won't fashion your brother's hair into some warrior's coiffure."

Scarlet chuckled lightly as she replied, "No, it's okay. It'll make me feel better to do it myself, like spending quality time with him. I'll come back as soon as I'm done, though, so you better have some food waiting when I do." Before stepping out, she asked, "Staying for dinner, Sky?"

"No, I better go," her friend replied. "Remy's probably set sail without me and it'll take days to figure out where he is. Only guy I know who'll leave a gal twistin' in the wind like a cheap piece of cloth."

"He wouldn't do it if he didn't think you could take care of yourself." Scarlet nodded once to Sky Fire and Sir Lancelot, then left for the mountain trail.

  


As she worked her way up the mountain range, a feeling hit Scarlet in the pit of her stomach and her pace slowed to a stop. She turned and gazed across the Eternal Garden at the forest of tall trees that guarded its southeastern border. There, a familiar energy was building--slow but noticeable. When the energy reached a high concentration, a large section of the forest exploded in a spray of flames, dirt and shrubbery. Trees flew across the land and crashed into the nearby garden, ruining crops that took days to sow. When the smoke from the explosion cleared, a figure the witch had nightmares about stood menacingly over the wreckage: Mekan Ikull. The most powerful of Lord Magnus' creations was alive once again and on the rampage, with the Eternal Garden as its target. Yet, as it stepped out into the open, it soon became clear that it had another purpose for traipsing across the sacred ground; the mechanical dragon was cutting a path straight to the mountain range where the Scarlet Witch stood.

After the shock of seeing Mekan Ikull left her, Scarlet knew immediately what she had to do. She set down the shaving kit and pointed her hands at the cave where her brother's body was, then concentrated to create a strong barrier of protection around it. Just as the barrier completed, another familiar energy manifested right next to her and when she turned to view it, she suddenly found herself in the powerful grip of her own father. Lord Magnus held his daughter up by one hand, gripping his fingers tightly around her neck as if to crush it; Scarlet choked for a moment, then used her powers to make herself slippery enough to come out of his grasp. While she dropped to her knees and coughed, Lord Magnus merely stood over her and allowed his cape to cover himself, adding to his foreboding appearance as he spoke. "Do you really think that barrier of yours will prevent what I'm going to do here?"

Once she found her second wind, Scarlet glared up at him and hissed, "It may not, but I certainly will." She rose to her feet and stared him straight in the eyes with as much hatred as she could focus in his direction. "Call off your toy, _father_, or I'll imprison you in a pane of glass and crush it with my foot!"

Without his helmet, it was far easier to see the look of bitter amusement that registered on Lord Magnus' face. "You do not have the power to contain me, or does your current situation not teach you that?" He turned to watch as Mekan Ikull continued his approach. "Besides. I can prevent Mekan Ikull for doing what he must, no more than you will want to once the feeling strikes you."

"What feeling," his daughter asked with suspicious eyes.

Magnus' left hand slipped out from under his cape and motioned towards his creation. "See for yourself."

Scarlet continued focusing her hatred on him, but as a new feeling rose up in her, she gradually turned her full attention to the beast that lumbered across the sacred territory. It started out as a vague pulse, but soon enough it became an undeniable feeling that read as clear to her as words would on a page. Deep within the gears and pistons that kept Mekan Ikull going, the unnatural fire that fueled its tantrum was in fact a soul, and that soul was none other than Quicksilver's. Her brother's soul was driving the creature towards his body with no regard for anything in its path. The Scarlet Witch became horrified when she realized this, for she knew that it meant no harm could come to the mechanical dragon without meaning the end for her disembodied sibling.

"Mekan Ikull has greater ambition towards his task now that he has a soul to guide him," Lord Magnus stated proudly. "It was an upgrade I had considered, but thought useless until now."

His daughter watched helplessly as the dragon continued its rampage. "How could you... I know you don't give a damn about me, but, he was _loyal_ to you to the bitter end!"

"It is a temporary arrangement." Magnus gazed across the sky as he spoke. "Quicksilver can be restored, but only if Mekan Ikull survives to reach his body." He motioned towards an approaching figure. "Will you allow him to be destroyed?"

Scarlet looked at her father, then in the direction he indicated. The Blackbird--trademark transport of the Sacred Letter--cut the sky with its very form on its way to the Eternal Garden. On its back it carried Professor Xavier, along with a few of his most experienced students. They made the sojourn to try and work out a truce between the Sacred Letter and the Brotherhood, but seeing Mekan Ikull's rampage instantly set them in the strategic frame of mind. As soon as the Blackbird came close enough, Scott Summers pulled away his shades and sent an energy blast straight at the beast's backside. Mekan Ikull let off a grinding wail as the shot struck it in the rear end and caused its tail joints to partially separate, leaving the appendage limp and unusable.

As the Blackbird flew by, Evan Daniels leaped off its side and curled tightly, allowing spikes to protrude from his body in the form of protective armor. His aim was to strike Mekan Ikull in the head, but the Scarlet Witch used her powers to send him off course. Just as her father knew she would, Scarlet rushed down the mountainside to defend the creature carrying her brother's soul. While Mekan Ikull continued its journey, she created a blue sphere that covered it, preventing the Sacred Letter from attacking any further. When Evan finally recovered from his rough landing in the garden's cornfield, he rushed over to her and immediately began yelling about her actions.

"What the Hell is wrong with you? That thing is destroying the Eternal Garden!"

"That thing has my brother's soul in it," Scarlet yelled back, regret ladling her voice. "... The garden will be fine. It's just walking through it; if you guys would stop attacking it, it wouldn't do so much harm!" She could hardly believe that she was defending something that had murdered her friends not long ago.

By this time, Sir Lancelot managed to catch up to Scarlet after making his own efforts to salvage the more important parts of the Eternal Garden. His stallion paced nervously for being so close to Mekan Ikull, but he kept it steady while talking to the woman. "Did I hear you correctly, Scarlet? Mekan Ikull is harboring your brother's soul?"

"Yes," Scarlet replied, holding back the tears that welled up in her eyes. "We can't kill it, Lance. If we do, Quicksilver will die along with it!"

"But it is carving a path of destruction throughout the Eternal Garden!" The knight scowled as he watched the dragon walk through the main house, crushing it in a matter of seconds. "Is its business here the retrieval of your brother's body? If so, you need to relinquish it so it will stop defiling this hallowed place!"

That was the answer. Mekan Ikull's goal was to reach the body at any cost, and the only way to prevent the Eternal Garden from being completely destroyed was to bring Quicksilver's body out where it could be reached. This was Lord Magnus' plan from the beginning of the rampage: use the soul to force Scarlet into handing over the body. She knew it, but she had no choice; it was either that or let Mekan Ikull tear up the garden until it reached the mountain range.

Despite her reluctance, Scarlet released the spell of protection placed on the cave where her brother's body was. After the barrier visibly shattered, Lord Magnus ventured inside. Immediately Micro Ikull positioned itself between him and the slab where Quicksilver was, buts its presence hardly intimidated the lord. With a flick of his wrist he sent the automaton tumbling out the cave and down the mountainside. Moments later, Magnus emerged with the body in his arms and called across the valley to Mekan Ikull. "Here is what you seek! Now, claim what is rightfully yours!"

Mekan Ikull stopped just short of thrashing through the barn when it was called to, then it settled on its haunches and opened its maw. Five chains reached from the back of its throat and cleared the remaining distance across the valley from where it stood to the mountain range. Four of the chains wrapped lightly around Quicksilver's arms and torso, then lifted him from his father's grasp. The fifth chain came up to the man's face and its spearhead hovered an inch away from his lips. Then, a blue light leaped from Mekan Ikull's body and followed the length of the fifth chain all the way to its tip.

When the light reached Quicksilver, it pushed past his lips and went straight for his torso. Almost immediately his eyes flew open and he drew in a breath--he was alive once more! As a result of the soul exchange, Mekan Ikull ceased to function and fell forward, crushing the barn that it had stopped behind. Its chains went limp and scattered the ground, and Quicksilver managed to land on his feet as they lost their grip on him.

Sir Lancelot gnashed his teeth as the barn was flattened, then his attention fell to Scarlet, who was starting towards the mountain range. "No, Scarlet! Don't go to them," he yelled as he positioned his horse to block her path. The witch looked up at the knight, then stepped to the side so she could see around his mount.

"Quicksilver," Scarlet called, and for a moment, her brother focused his attention on her. Then, as a velvet portal appeared behind him, he turned and stepped into it without giving her a second glance.

As the portal dissipated, Lord Magnus once again brought his cape to rest around his body while he turned and looked at the gathering few. He watched as the Blackbird landed to allow its passengers safe contact with the ground, and as Lancelot continued to block Scarlet's path, struggling to keep her from doing something she would later regret. A smirk of smug satisfaction came to rest on his face, then he threw back his cape and extended both his arms in their direction. "My son's soul has been returned to its body," he stated loud enough for them to hear. "Now. Who shall replace the flame that fuels Mekan Ikull?"

Everyone took a pensive step backwards after hearing his open-ended threat, and their reaction amused him greatly. "No volunteers," Magnus stated questioningly, then lowered his arms. The chains from Mekan Ikull came to life and swung towards the others. "Then I shall choose one."

The chains drove into the ground and their tips disappeared from view, leaving everyone uneasy as they waited to see where they would surface. Sir Lancelot dismounted from his horse and felt the ground with his hands so he could trace the movements of the chain links. When he realized where they were going he started to call out, but it was too late. Three of the chains burst from the ground and came up straight through the body of the Blackbird, causing it to cry out in agony.

Scott Summers acted fast, firing his energy beam at the chains that wavered like tentacles in mid-air; unfortunately, the more he chipped away at the chainlinks, the quicker they came through the Blackbird. Eventually the roc became wrapped in a mesh of the three chains and as it gave its final cry, a fourth chain leaped from the ground and went straight down its throat. The chain extracted the Blackbird's soul and pulled it straight to Mekan Ikull, instantly bringing the metallic beast back to life.

  


With all that he had came to do completed, Lord Magnus signaled for a final distraction to keep those within the garden busy. General Sabretooth's army of saber-toothed tigers burst from the forest and began finishing what Mekan Ikull started: the destruction of the Eternal Garden.


End file.
